RAF Display Phantoms '70s - '90s

[F3]

One of the highlights of any air show for me was undoubtedly the RAF Phantom display due to the noise and sheer power. It was not one for the weak hearted. The one which set the standard for me was the 1979 display flown by F/L Connors (even after 40 yrs I can remember the pilot's name - which tells you how memorable it was) which I had the pleasure of watching three times. He was from the 228 OCU which held the 64 Sqn. numberplate. The same unit did the display the following season but I don't know whether he was again the pilot. For the next few years the tasking switched to Leuchars who fielded a display a/c in the new Barley grey colour scheme for the first time in 1982 with 43 and 111 Sqns. sharing the duty seemingly in alternate years. 1987 saw a change to a Wattisham based F-4J of 74 Tiger Sqn. which made a nice change and thereafter the role reverted back to the OCU which had by then moved up to Leuchars. Sadly the '88 season ended tragically with the crash of the display a/c whilst practising for the Abingdon show resulting in the deaths of the crew F/Ls Lackman & Thompson. Undeterred the unit provided a display a/c for the next two seasons, decorated with a blue fin for the 1990 season. With the Phantom force beginning to wind down there was no display a/c for the '91 season but the last Sqn. no.74 @ Wattisham provided an impressive finale to the type's long RAF service in 1992 producing two specially marked a/c bearing the red and white checks of the recently co-based 56 Sqn. as well as its own yellow & black decor.
If anyone has any interesting pics of RAF display Phantoms, esp. in the original tactical colour scheme or from the years which are missing from the thread, or have interesting stories to relate pl. feel free to add. Happy Easter.

Display Phantoms - XV488 R 228 OCU '79 + '80 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

display Phantoms - H + F 111 Sqn. '81 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

Display Phantoms - XV591 E 43 Sqn. '82 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

Display Phantoms - XV591 M 111 Sqn. '84 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

Display Phantoms - XV587 G 43 Sqn.'86 by Michael Britton, on Flick

Display Phantoms - XV577 AN 43 Sqn '86 by Michael Britton, on Flick

Display Phantoms - F4J ZE351 I 74 Sqn '87 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

Display Phantoms - XV490 CF 228 OCU '88 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

Display Phantoms - XV490 228 OCU '89(1) by Michael Britton, on Flickr

Display Phantoms - XT895 CJ + XV425 CD 228 OCU '90 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

Display Phantoms - Q + Z 74 Sqn.'92 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

[XR713]

Thanks for sharing

[ST24]

Very nice, the raw power of those Speys always left a lasting impression!! It was indeed John Connor and Dick Ellis in the 1980 season. Prior to '79 it had been 43 Sqn that had provided the solo display since 1970, something I'm always amazed by given their Northern Q responsibilities and how busy they were in the' 70s!
No display in '85 (indeed no RAF fast jets) or '89 following the loss at Abingdon as well as '91. 43 picked up '81&'82, Tremblers for the following 2 years, still flying a camo jet, (your' H' & 'F' are Finningley '83, F being the last none RWR jet iirc) as did 43 for the first part of '86-surely the last one?? A great loss to the display scene..

[ST24]

I'll fated '88 display getting off in fine style at Woodford

'92 North weald, feel the power!

'90 Boscombe, dirty pass

'92 chute deployed, Mildenhall

Fighting Cocks, Mildenhall '86

'76 machine S/L (later AVM) Ian McFadyen and F/L Norman Browne (who was display nav through the' 70s)

[F3]

Thanks for the info and the additions. Love that 2nd. pic which perfectly illustrates the essence of the Phantom display.

[The Phantom]

Cracking set of hardcore Rhino action

I was in the cockpit (with a couple of other people) of an RAF transport aircraft (C-130?) at IAT Greenham Common in about 1979, listening to a talk from the Captain, when the Phantom was doing it's display and went past at high speed; the pilot chatting put his hands to his ears in pain and said "Jeez!" much to my amusement!
It was loud

[paddyboy]

Hi Michael

Who doesn't love the mighty 'Toom

Awesome set from both of you

Thanks for posting

Paddyboy

[slogen51]

RAF Phantoms - it can't get any better than that can it?

Great reading on a Saturday morning

[Seahawk 11]

Really good to see these, love the Phantom,

Thanks for posting them,

Rob

[F3]

Here are some extra pics of the '88 Display jet of 228 OCU whose display I witnessed on three occasions, and each time it was a different a/c, none of which was the ill - fated XV428 CC which crashed @ Abingdon.

Display Phantoms - XT892 CQ 228 OCU by Michael Britton, on Flickr

Display Phantoms - XV490 228 OCU '89 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

[ST24]

Here are some extra pics of the '88 Display jet of 228 OCU whose display I witnessed on three occasions, and each time it was a different a/c, none of which was the ill - fated XV428 CC which crashed @ Abingdon.

Display Phantoms - XT892 CQ 228 OCU by Michael Britton, on Flickr

Display Phantoms - XV490 228 OCU '89 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

I dont think XT892 is from '88. I say this as for that year they dispensed with convention and flew a totally clean jet, prior and later the display birds had inner pylons and 2 Sparrow/sky flash aqui rounds in the forward bays, apparently for CoG reasons. From my notes I saw 5 such jets in that configuration in '88 with XV499 used the most. The Ill fated XV428 had a one off display scheme that the brass didn't approve of and so only appeared once at the Wethersfield show with the Blue fin and fuselage flash scheme before it being removed.

[F3]

Can assure you that XT892 is from '88 but was photographed @ a Linton Graduation in May prior to the Display season, so may not have been one of the designated jets for the season. If anyone has a pic of XV428 pl feel free to add.

[ST24]

Can assure you that XT892 is from '88 but was photographed @ a Linton Graduation in May prior to the Display season, so may not have been one of the designated jets for the season. If anyone has a pic of XV428 pl feel free to add.

Cheers for that, I should have clarified "not an '88 display jet".. I think very few people have pics of ' 428 in its display clothes, though I may have it in other colours.

[GaryS]

https://picclick.co.uk/RAF-Phantom-FGR2 ... 79899.html
Picture of XV428 here.its not great but the only one I found that isn't a model.

[josh sykes]

Them were the days ..... Thanks for posting